Newsletter

City ethics board clears Northway

Second investigation finds Springfield mayor was not in violation of code of conduct

Jeff Northway

SPRINGFIELD - After a nearly four-month investigation, the city's Ethics Committee has cleared Mayor Jeff Northway of all allegations lodged against him by a fellow councilman.

The report was filed in City Hall one day prior to Northway's hearing this morning in Effingham County Superior Court in which other council members are petitioning to remove him from office.

This past October, Councilman Butch Kieffer filed a vague ethics complaint with the city against Northway on several matters arising since an incident at an Aug. 20 benefit barbecue for a local cancer victim at Ulmer Park.

It has never been made entirely clear what actually was to have occurred at the park, but City Attorney Hillary Burns did her own investigation of the incident and cleared Northway of any wrongdoing.

In another allegation, Kieffer says Northway, who owns property in the Cedar Creek subdivision, used his influence to put "Cedar Creek business above city business."

The subdivision east of the city has regular issues with drainage, and, according to Northway's response to the allegations, residents have approached him in his capacity as mayor to get the problems corrected even though his own property is not affected by the drainage issues.

Kieffer also alleges that on Sept. 9, Northway asked a cashier at the Morrison Cafe at Effingham Hospital for a "discount because he was mayor." That event also was found to have no merit. Furthermore, Kieffer was not at the cafe at the time of the alleged event.

Lastly, Kieffer alleged Northway's veto of a council motion to hire an outside attorney - Mickey Kicklighter - to investigate these same allegations was an ethical violation in and of itself.

Northway has contended since that Oct. 6 meeting the city's charter stipulates the city's Ethics Committee will impartially evaluate all ethics complaints and that the council is not empowered to take the issue out of the Ethics Committee's hands.

According to Northway's answer to Kieffer's allegations, "Mr. Kieffer has gone too far in his zeal ... and is attempting to use the ethics code to restrict (Northway's) ability to act as mayor.

"Attempting to prevent Mr. Northway from speaking to other members of the City Council or to community business owners as a city resident unduly infringes on Mr. Northway's right to free speech and right to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Being cleared of wrongdoing in two separate investigations by the Ethics Committee and the city attorney, the council's petition to have Northway removed from office will still be heard at 9 a.m. today in front of Effingham County Superior Court Chief Judge William E. Woodrum Jr.